Salemaleikum - Morocco - it´s over...

Hello Bikers out there - we are going to Morocco! We just arrived by plane today to Malaga Southern Spain, the weather is beautiful, blue sky and around 20 degrees - what else do we need? After a first nice dinner in our Hotel direct at the beach of Malaga we are thinking about tomorrow. First we will ride down to Gibraltar - then we jump on a ferry to Africa - just follow us... Day 1 Malaga - Gibraltar - Ceuta First day on the road... We left around 9:oo in the morning down to Gibraltar. After a nice ride along the coast we reached the maybe most famous rock of Europe. A quick cable car ride up to the top you have a beautiful view over the strait of Gibraltar. Be careful with the monkeys... and then back around the bay to Algeciras to take the Fast Ferry to Africa! Werner and Rose from Germany Leaving Europe through the "Strait of Gibraltar" New friends - Robert and Rainer and finally in Africa! Ceuta is still a spanish city on the African continent. Day 2 This morning we woke up with beautiful sunshine! We filled the bikes and about 5 minutes later we got to the "famous" border to Morocco... The good thing - there were nearly no people! And it took us (14 people, 10 vehicles) only about 30 minutes - pretty good, or? Just outside the border...yippie! Down to Mdiq - along the nice coastline - the Moroccans are cleaning up for the summer tourists. Actually it looks a lot nicer than in Spain, really! coffee at the beach... You can see them everywhere... Good lunch on the side of the road Lothar likes it! In the early afternoon we filled the bikes again, before we got to Chefchaouen, a beautiful village in the Rif-mountains. finally walking around in the old town of Chefchouen Times changes... One of the mosques - let´s wait for the Muezzin... Allah oh Akbar! Day 3 - Ride to Rabat After a wonderful Dinner in the Casa Hassan Restaurant, we slept really good. We left the Rif mountains, olive trees everywhere - the oil mills are still running we found our way to Ouezzane and later on to Moulay Bousselham at the Atlantic Ocean. Good lunch out there on a beatiful beach, always around 20-25 degrees... leaving Chefchaouen in Ouezzane somewhere... Beach of Moulay Bousselham brave guys! Of course - lunchtime... In the afternoon we jumped on the motorway down to the Capital - Rabat Just a short walk from our Hotel - Mausoleum Hassan II. The Hassan tower - the idea was to build the biggest mosque - a long time ago... They never finished it. Day 4 Rabat - Casablanca - Marrakesh This morning we left really early, 8´o clock, because we wanted to visit the huge mosque of Hassan II. in Casablanca - incredible! The tower is about 200 m (600 feet) tall, in the mosque around 20 000 to 25 000 people can pray at the same time... what do you think... and in the afternoon we rode down to Marrakesh, maybe the most famous city of this beatiful country. At the coast the temperature was always around 20 - 25 degrees and really comfortable, but once on the road we reached 35 degrees!!! Here in Marrakesh it is really hot, but thanks god we got cold beer and a swimming pool! Day 5  -Marrakesh, what a city! So, today we left the bikes in the parking and together with our Guide Ahmed we walked around the old town of Marrakesh. It was very interesting to listen to the stories of a local guide. We learned a lot about Morrocan history and life - especially in the Bahia Palace. school class in Bahia Palace listening to Ahmed somewhere in the Souks(markets) Paul our baker - really impressed! having mint tea in a local carpet store... local bikers - look at the little kid sitting on the front of the Moped... But the best of Marrakesh is the world famous square - Djam el Fnaa Dinner time! hundreds of little food stands all over - but for sure we picked the best one... Number 65 So guys - enough for today - tomorrow riding into the Atlas Mountains - we will see! Day 6 We had a lot of fun the last days, but very poor Internet, sorry... The ride over the Atlas Mountains is really a great experience. Beautiful scenery, good roads and nice weather - just perfect! Lunch in a Berber tent at Telouet Tea time Great scenery everywhere Day 7 Wake up everybody - let´s visit the Atlas Film Studios Walk like an Egyptian... in front of "Abu Simbel" And then a nice ride into the Dades Canyon, have a look: Great Picknick from Vivien and Ursula in front of the "Atlas brain" and finally the nicest switchbacks of Morocco before reaching our beautiful hotel in Boumalne - Xaluca Dades! Day 8 Ride into the Todra Canyon and then to Erfoud After a quiet night in our beautiful hotel we rode to Tinerhir and then into the Todra Gorge, late on to Erfoud, the last outpost before the desert... Some Moroccan friends: Later on the way to Erfoud we got a little sandstorm... A last stop at some Berber tents... and we are there - Erfoud! Day 9 - Restday in the desert Today is a special day - we are going to the highest sand dunes of Morocco and today is Lothars birthday - Congratulations! On the way to the dunes... Here at the Camel rental station... Having fun in the desert! Day 10 - across the Atlas to Fes ! We have to leave early in the morning, already at 8´o clock... because today is a long ride - more than 400km. We follow the Ziz river to the north, then we ride up into the Atlas mountains again. In Midelt we have to refill the bikes, a little further we stop for lunch. Paul and Vivien you have to start early... lamb chops - fresh! and then we continue through wonderful cedar tree forests. And look what we found: Then to Ifrane and finally to Fes. Here a view of the Medina of Fes - incredible! Day 11 Today is our rest day in Fes, that means a walking tour through the old town... it is really unbelievable to orientate in this chaos... thanks god we have our guide! Day 12 Fes - Volubilis - Chefchaouen Yesterday was great - We had a nice walk through the Medina(od town) of Fes which is really unique, we think worldwide! We saw a lot of interesting things, of course the famous Souk with its tannery, a school of Koran, the first university of the world "Al Karaouine" and a lot more. Today we are leaving Fes to explore the old roman ruins of "Volubilis" and then we continue to the "wellknown" Chefchaouen. It is like coming home... just half an hour from Fes, beautiful scenery local fisherman some last souvenirs??? close to Mulay Idriss great ruins at Volubilis! and then back to Chefchaouen... Day 13 Is it really the last day- Why??? Another easy ride back to the spanish border of Ceuta, some paperwork and we are back in Spain(but still in Africa). We had to wait for the ferry, but some policemen recommended us great Tapas bar, direct at the beach of Ceuta. he wants to be a biker... at the border - we made it back! everybody got through the paperwork...finally... at the Tapas bar Rose - enjoying the sun Paul and Vivien Rainer, Suse, Erich and Lothar So what? That´s it! No more things to say... Only that Morocco is a wonderful country full of secrets... And the best way to discover those  - is to be on a motorcycle! I think this little guy is the symbol of this tour - Rob`s camel! Thank you very much for a great trip guys - it was like beeing with friends on the road! Jens Ruprecht/ Tourguide (edelweissbiketravel)